Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A Milford man was attacked Sunday night as he tried to change a flat tire on CR 175E, near Milford.
Chet T. Wortinger, 22, was driving home from his mother's Syracuse residence when a tire on his Dodge Neon car went flat. He pulled to the side of the road, about an eighth of a mile south of CR 1300N, to change the flat.
At about 9:50 p.m., a vehicle Wortinger thinks was a pickup pulled up and shined a bright spotlight in his face.
A man reportedly got out of the vehicle and asked if Wortinger needed help. He said no, and was then hit over the head with an unknown object.
Wortinger went unconscious. He later woke up and drove home on the flat tire, leaving the spare and tire jack alongside the road.
Returning home, he reportedly asked his wife what was wrong with his back. She observed two long cuts running vertically across his back, starting at each shoulder blade and ending at the small of his back. There also was a puncture wound at the small of his back. She then took him to Kosciusko Community Hospital for treatment.
He also suffered an injury to his eye socket and swelling to his head.
A suspect description was not available because the spotlight blinded Wortinger. He does believe the suspect was driving a full-size pickup truck with a very loud exhaust system. There may have been up to four passengers inside the pickup's cab.
It is unknown if any items were stolen from the car and no motive is known.
Anyone with information about this crime should call Detective Todd Sautter at 267-5667 or Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP.
